"I feel I owe it to myself, my family, and all Jewish people, to seriously gain a sense of awareness and understanding for what it really means to be Jewish. I have now realized that Judaism is much more than a religion - it is a culture, it is a people, it is ME!"
Sara Jayne Bleiweiss

"...I was able to partake in amazing experiences that I could not have had anywhere else. I feel that it is so important today (especially in college communities) to have programs such as these so that young people can continuously be connected to their Jewish roots..."
Allie Willensky
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"This was full of the brightest and open minds I've seen on campus.  The discussions that came out always provoked stimulating questions, and opened a new door within me. I may have had personal opinions and beliefs that varied from others, but that was what made the experience so good..."
Ryder Cobean
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"Not to pat ourselves on the back, but I think college kids taking time out of their schedules to explore being Jewish provides inspiration and hope for the future of Judaism. My involvement in the program allowed me to gain exposure to our religion and helped me obtain a better understanding of it's spirituality..."
Ron Alkalay
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"The prospects of learning more about my Judaism and finding a sense of belonging in a group enticed me. I came into the program knowing only one person, and being the only freshman. I left with the closest friends I might ever have..."
Dayna Wilde
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"On the Shabbatons I learned even more - not just about the actual religion, but also about culture and lifestyle. It was fascinating and motivating. On my first Shabbaton, we went to Long Island, New York. The entire weekend we drenched in joy..."
Ben Margolis
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"We all struggle with finding meaning in our lives. So many of us judge our value and the value of others based on the value of our material possessions.  I loved that this program gave us the opportunity to talk about real issues in our lives outside of a traditional classroom environment..."
Erica Levine
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"While I came to love many traditions, I failed to understand the reasons behind many of them. I feel like I now have a greater understanding of who I am and where I come from. I am a Jew and proud to be a part of a religion that values family, friends, and morality..."
Justine Slovin
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"I recall starting with all sorts of suppositions about 'indoctrination,' 'brainwashing,' etc.  As the program continued, I was shocked in ways I did not expect. I felt my beliefs and preconceptions challenged
every way I turned..."
Matthew Klein
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"...What I gained from this experience was truly invaluable and more satisfying than all of my previous intellectual pursuits. This enabled me to gain an appreciation for the consistency, depth, and wholeness of Judaism that I did not previously have."
Justin Scheininger
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"...It has helped me feel more confident discussing my religion and my beliefs with others. Over the past semester I have learned things about myself that I did not know before and things about myself that surprise me..."
Stephanie Slawsky
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"The program turned out to be so much more than I expected! The chance to meet so many amazing people; have so many great, unique experiences, to have been given the chance to listen to all of our guest speakers, and to be left with so many new life lessons to live by was unbelievable."
Lisa Anijdar

"The relaxed style allowed for great conversation.  It was also an excellent opportunity to meet other Jews on campus and compare our notions and opinions of Jewish thought with one another..."
Adam Baskin
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"It is important to step back and realize how fortunate we are to have had an environment in which we are all free to disagree (and did so openly). Our opinions often clashed, but we returned every week because we were still united in purpose. We were Jews, trying to understand what it means to be Jewish..."
Jacqueline Fay

"We've had the opportunity to discuss such ideas as the meaning and value of life, happiness, contentment, freedom, and free will - unless you're a philosophy major, how often do these intriguing topics cross your mind? Jewish learning through the program has, above all else, made me proud to be a Jew..."
Eric Ceresnie
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"Even more than learning the specifics of any particular subject, it became even more apparent to me how important questioning and analysis is in Judaism. As students, we were encouraged to question and argue until we understood the topic at hand for ourselves. The classes were heated, and conversation filled."
Sarah Kader

"...My impression of Judaism after this is of a united force that is not getting weaker, but more and more powerful as students decide to learn what our ancestors have been learning for thousands of years."
Benjamin Sloviter
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"We live in an extremely secular society consumed with materialism, superficiality, and consumerism. I find that is it is easy to become caught up in this lifestyle, however a connection to Judaism helps keep me grounded. This has refocused some of my interest in Judaism, and helped me want to make Judaism a priority in my life."
Orly Shafir

"It is not only the knowledge that will stay with me.  It is the whole package. The friendships, experiences, and knowledge have all had a profound impact on me and will continue to in the future."
Perry Teicher

"It was great to be a part of the program because it helped me answer the question, 'Why?' Why do I hold certain beliefs? Why am I so sure that Judaism is the right religion for me? Why do I believe in G-d? I learned that the Torah says you shall know, not you shall believe."
Aliza Wucher

"The program is not geared towards promoting certain character traits in the students. Rather, it is geared towards promoting Jewish learning and understanding. During the program, we discussed topics such as pluralism, Jewish unity, euthanasia, love, abortion, marriage, and death."
Rob Glazer

"...Throughout Shabbatons, class discussion, and just hanging out on the weekends, I have definitely formed a close bond with people who share the same religion as me, as well as the experience of the program."
Rebecca Haim
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"I have really come to appreciate and understand the beauty of our faith and of all our traditions. Judaism is really the most beautiful thing, you just have to give it a chance there are so many great aspects about it. I think it is the responsibility of each and every Jew to take some time to learn about it."
Jamie Garnet

"I feel lucky to walk away from this with a better understanding of Judaism as a whole. It is unfortunate that within our religion there are so many labels and constructed divisions, and I admit that before, I did not feel comfortable discussing Judaism with people."
Sara Eber

"We've learned things like the difference between religious pluralism and moral relativism, the rituals and ideas behind major Jewish lifecycle events, the meaning of existence; you know, simple stuff."
Daniel Perezselsky